One of your most important parts of your body is the endocrinological system. This is the organ group which produces the hormones or chemical messengers that regulate much of what happens inside of you over the course of a lifetime, from early growth, to sexual maturity, and ultimately old age. The Baptist Health endocrinology team takes a lifelong approach to your hormonal health.

What Is Endocrinology?

Endocrinology is the branch of medical science that deals with hormones and hormone-related diseases and disorders. The endocrine system includes all the body’s hormone-producing organs, such as the pancreas, the thyroid and parathyroid glands, the adrenal gland, the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the ovaries and testes. Because these organs have an outsized impact on critical bodily functions, including sexual reproduction, growth, metabolism, and sleep, good health requires that hormone disorders are properly diagnosed and treated.

Baptist Health is fully committed to the health of communities across Kentucky and Southern Indiana, regardless of cause. Our caring endocrinology professionals work hard every day to lift the spirits and improve the well-being of the patients we serve. This includes individuals concerned about, or struggling with, hormone-driven medical disorders.

Endocrine Disorders 

These can have a powerful effect on physical growth and development, blood sugar levels, emotional states, metabolism, blood pressure, heart rate, and sexual function and fertility. Baptist Health physicians, nurses, and other medical team members are equipped to provide care for a wide range of endocrine disorders and conditions, including:

• Adrenal gland disorders
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Diabetes mellitus
• Graves’ disease
• Growth disorders
• Hashimoto’s disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Infertility
• Metabolic bone disease (MBD)
• Pituitary disorders
• Thyroid and other glandular cancers

The goal in every case is restoration of the patient’s good health, to the extent possible, by reestablishing the body’s proper hormonal balances.

The goal in every case is restoration of the patient’s good health, to the extent possible, by reestablishing the body’s proper hormonal balances.

Endocrinological Services

The medical professionals at Baptist Health offer a comprehensive suite of diagnostic and treatment options for addressing health issues related to the endocrine system:

• Diagnostic procedures, including imaging studies, urine testing, hormone analysis, and identification of genetic abnormalities
• Medication therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Surgery

Not every situation warrants medical intervention. We may choose to monitor a potential endocrine issue, acting only when treatment becomes the most sensible option.

Pediatric and Adult Endocrinology Care for Every Stage of Life

Baptist Health views endocrinological health as a lifetime process. The endocrine disorders affecting children and adults often differ and call for medical care that is tailored to specific age groups.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Pediatric endocrinology focuses on hormonal conditions that arise in children or adolescents. Some conditions may last a lifetime, others are transitory. These include:

• Bone-metabolism issues
• Diabetes, types 1 and 2
• Growth disorders
• Puberty disorders
• Some adrenal conditions
• Some thyroid conditions

Adult Endocrinology

Some hormonal disorders have their origin in sexual maturation and adulthood. Typical of these conditions are:

• Infertility
• Metabolic conditions
• Osteoporosis
• Pituitary conditions
• Some adrenal conditions
• Some thyroid conditions
• Type 2 or gestational diabetes

Many hormonal conditions are chronic, meaning that once they develop, they remain a lifelong concern. The Baptist Health endocrinology team will ally with you by developing a lifetime medical-management program for coping with your condition.

What to Expect at Your First Endocrinology Appointment

Your first appointment will likely be arranged by your primary care physician. The endocrinologist will conduct a physical exam, ask about your symptoms, and record your family history. As part of the exam, he or she will document your weight, pulse, heart rate, and blood pressure. He or she will also review any records provided by your primary care physician.

Your endocrinologist may diagnose your condition based on this information, or he or she may order further tests, such as a urinalysis or an imaging scan. On confirming a diagnosis, your endocrinologist can prescribe medications that are appropriate for your condition and arrange for any additional specialist care, typically in conjunction with your primary care physician.

If you’re experiencing symptoms or have a family medical history that concerns you, the Baptist Health endocrinology team offers a message of hope. For more information, contact us at +1 (844) 608-1644 for more information.

Find a endocrinology provider using our provider directory.

FAQ

Can I Go Straight to An Endocrinologist?

Typically, no. Endocrinologists are specialists and usually require a referral from a primary care physician beforehand. It’s possible that some insurance plans might cover self-referrals. Check your coverage to be sure.

Why Would Someone See an Endocrinologist?

Individuals who see endocrinologists usually do so for diagnosis and treatment of a hormonal imbalance or another endocrine disorder. Included are a wide range of medical conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid diseases, infertility, and many others.

What Are the Three Types of Endocrine Disorders?

The three primary types of endocrine disorders are glandular tumors, including cancer, underproduction of hormones or hyposecretion, and overproduction of hormones or hypersecretion. A variety of medical conditions can arise from these disorders, many of them serious and requiring medical attention and care.